Anti-Semitism is alive and well and living in America

[River]

Why are we not past this crap (both anti-Semitism in general and the idiocy in Rose's quote) yet?

[Voronwë the Faithful]

CNN anchor Rick Sanchez has been fired today for making anti-Semitic remarks about Jon Stewart and the CNN management.

CNN Fires Rick Sanchez for Remarks in Interview

[halplm]

His attributing anything to Jewish people is absurd. However, I think his reaction was more appropriately aimed at north eastern liberal elitism, which I'm certain he did have to deal with, and it probably did view him as second class.

The fact or non-fact that Jewish people often occupy the same space, or are in positions of power in television is entirely a non-issue, and he deserved to be fired for saying so.

[River]

Hasn't Sanchez noticed that Stewart gives everyone crap?

[Ghân-buri-Ghân]

It would appear from the article that Mr Sanchez, a Cuban American, was criticising Mr Stewart for being a bigoted member of a white Liberal elite, which as a Cuban American he himself is not, and that a co-interviewer expressed the view that Mr Stewart was as much a minority as Mr Sanchez, the implication being that Mr Stewart, being Jewish, would experience equivalent discrimination within the industry as Mr Sanchez. Mr Sanchez clearly felt that, at least in the context of contemporary network media, Jewish people do not experience the degree of discrimination, being relegated to the second tier, as Cuban Americans such as himself do.
There are two questions that would seem to arise from these statements of Mr Sanchez. Firstly, is he correct in his observation, that within the industry, there is such a bias, and secondly, by expressing this opinion, is he antisemitic, and deserving of dismissal?
I have read a number of op-ed pieces that point to anti-hispanic bias in America. Is there such bias?

[halplm]

I would argue that among the north eastern liberal elite, there is a bias against anyone that is not among the north eastern liberal elite... that would certainly include cuban americans...

Unless they have attended one of the acceptable liberal elite schools, of course...

[nerdanel]

I would argue that among the north eastern liberal elite, there is a bias against anyone that is not among the north eastern liberal elite... that would certainly include cuban americans...

Unless they have attended one of the acceptable liberal elite schools, of course...

This is false. It is incumbent upon me to point out that the northeastern liberal elite is of course quite unbiased towards the western liberal elite.

Facetiousness aside, I really should point out that (although he attended a far superior school), Jon Stewart did not attend an "acceptable liberal elite" school. And there are a notable number of Hispanic-Americans, including Cubans, at said schools. And there are an even more notable number of conservatives at said schools; even if they are a minority, they are indisputably a vocal one. The point being - your generalization is simply too general to be very useful. Yes, there are some northeastern liberals who have a preference for their "own kind". Many more do not.

In any event, Mr. Sanchez essentially seems to be sore that Jon Stewart made fun of him. He was unable to provide any evidence that Stewart had done so in a bigoted way, and he indeed did not cite any examples of Stewart's alleged bigotry towards anyone at all. (Incidentally, Stewart arguably spends disproportionately more time making fun of white people (on Fox News) than any minority group; Hispanics rarely seem to be targeted by the show's jokes at all.) As for his failure to receive an anchor position, I suppose it's easier to conjure up a "northeastern liberal elite" that's keeping minorities down than to take personal responsibility for one's own career successes or failures. (Ironically, I'm sure that there are plenty of conservative whites who feel that the same "northeastern liberal elite" is elevating minorities via affirmative action at the expense of whites. They too are similarly unable to take personal responsibility for the course of their careers.) Those dastardly northeastern liberal elites just have it in for everyone.

Personally, I'm just upset that no one has mentioned "latte-sipping" yet. If you're not drinking lattes, you fail as a northeastern liberal elite. Just sayin'.

[Ghân-buri-Ghân]

So nerdanel, do you believe it was right that Mr Sanchez was dismissed? Were his comments antisemitic?

[nerdanel]

I haven't read a transcript, but my understanding is that this is what he said (per the CBS article on this issue):

When asked by radio host Pete Dominick (who used to work as a warm-up comic for the Daily Show) against whom he thought Stewart was bigoted, Sanchez said, "everybody else who's not like him. Look at his show, I mean, what does he surround himself with?"

Dominick pointed out that as a Jew, Stewart was also a minority - to which Sanchez responded, snickering, "Please, what are you kidding?.. Yeah, a very powerless people."

"I'm telling you that everybody who runs CNN is a lot like Stewart, and a lot of people who run all the other networks are a lot like Stewart," Sanchez said. "To imply that somehow they, the people in this country who are Jewish, are an oppressed minority? Yeah."

Snickering at the discrimination that Jews have faced in this country - because they have also enjoyed a significant degree of success - is, in my view, prejudiced. Ranting about the Jews "run[ning] all the networks" in the United States is similarly so. This is a good article detailing our American history of anti-Semitism. It is admittedly at a low point, but remains nothing to be scoffed at. The ADL surveys cited in that article revealed the following results with respect to anti-Semitic views held in the US:

Polls and studies over the past two decades point to a steady decrease in antisemitic attitudes, beliefs, and manifestations among the American public. A 1992 survey by the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith showed that 20 percent of Americans—between 30 to 40 million adults—held antisemitic views, as against 29 percent in 1964. However, another survey by the same organization concerning antisemitic incidents shows that the curve has risen without interruption since 1986.

The number of Americans holding antisemitic views declined markedly six years later when another ADL study classified only 12 percent of the population—between 20 to 25 million adults—as "most anti-Semitic." Confirming the findings of previous surveys, both studies also found that African Americans were significantly more likely than whites to hold anti-Semitic views, with 34 percent of blacks classified as "most anti-Semitic," compared to 9 percent of whites in 1998.

According to an Anti-Defamation League survey 14 percent of U.S. residents had anti-Semitic views. The 2005 survey found "35 percent of foreign-born Hispanics" and "36 percent of African-Americans hold strong antisemitic beliefs, four times more than the 9 percent for whites".[36] The 2005 Anti-Defamation League survey includes data on Hispanic attitudes, with 29% being most antisemitic (vs. 9% for whites and 36% for blacks); being born in the United States helped alleviate this attitude: 35% of foreign-born Hispanics, but only 19% of those born in the US.

Unfortunately, it seems that Mr. Sanchez falls into that 35 percent of foreign-born Hispanics.

Also, I wanted to point out that I don't understand this remark by Sanchez about Stewart: "Look at his show, I mean, what does he surround himself with?"

Stewart's current correspondents are a black man (Wyatt Cenac), an Indian Muslim (Aasif Mandvi), a British man (John Oliver), a white man (Jason Jones), and a white woman (Samantha Bee). As far as I know, none are Jewish. If Stewart is bigoted against "everyone who's not like him," he must really hate his staff!

[Túrin Turambar]

Now for the more important question - when do we get to hear about England?

[Ghân-buri-Ghân]

Now for the more important question - when do we get to hear about England?

It would appear that Ed Miliband, the recently elected Labour leader, is garnering more attention for not being married to his pregnant partner (and mother of his 15 month old child) than for the fact he is a Jewish Atheist.

I have found this quote, from the Guardian (UK), which I feel has slightly uncomfortable undertones:

Miliband's delay in marrying his partner, Justine Thornton, a barrister who is expecting their second child, is also not an issue because of this detachment. Roland, Jewish but non-religious, shares a silver anniversary with his partner this year and has an eight-year-old child but does not believe in marriage.

"It is quite common for those choosing partners out of the faith not to marry, to avoid upsetting their families," he said. "That doesn't apply in my case and I am sure that Ed's mother – the late Ralph's equally leftwing partner Marion Kozak – wouldn't mind either way. But it means the practice is familiar."

[RoseMorninStar]

I would argue that among the north eastern liberal elite, there is a bias against anyone that is not among the north eastern liberal elite... that would certainly include cuban americans...

Unless they have attended one of the acceptable liberal elite schools, of course...

This is false. It is incumbent upon me to point out that the northeastern liberal elite is of course quite unbiased towards the western liberal elite.

Facetiousness aside, I really should point out that (although he attended a far superior school), Jon Stewart did not attend an "acceptable liberal elite" school. And there are a notable number of Hispanic-Americans, including Cubans, at said schools. And there are an even more notable number of conservatives at said schools; even if they are a minority, they are indisputably a vocal one. The point being - your generalization is simply too general to be very useful. Yes, there are some northeastern liberals who have a preference for their "own kind". Many more do not.

I have been pondering this 'liberal elite' thing for awhile.. Is it intended as an insult? And what is that supposed to mean, exactly? A certain type of education? Hmmm.. or is it money? What? there are not also wealthy, educated 'elite' Republicans? This truly puzzles me.

[River]

Just out of curiousity, what exactly is this northeastern liberal elite and what are the schools they attend?

[anthriel]

Hmmmmm.




I like lattes. Drank one just yesterday. Does that make me a northeastern liberal elitist, perish the very thought? Or does the fact that it was a pumpkin latte make it less posh and elite, and therefore more appropriate for a southern conservative christian (surely the pumpkin flavoring lends an appropriate soupçon of hick-ish-ness to the idea of the haughty latte) to drink? I sure would hate to have to give up my lattes...


Sorry. The mind does wander, a bit. Too much caffeine, perhaps.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I like Cinnamin Dolce lattes. Haven't tried pumpkin. That might be good.

As for liberal elites, I have notice a phenomenom (which I have commented on before) in which some liberals seem to think that only liberals can be intelligent, thinking people. I find that attitude to be both infuriating and counterproductive. And completely untrue.

[River]

Anth, I grew up in Seattle. Everyone drank lattes, and mochas, and cappucinos, and americanos, and just about every other variation on coffee you can think of. Everything you think you know about the Seattle coffee culture is probably true and maybe even understated. I'm not sure what's elite about it.

That said, I take coffee straight-up and black. Lattes are a special, calorie-ladden treat for me.

[Primula Baggins]

Straight up and black here, too. In my case it's a Lutheran thing. Though my daughter is chipping away, chipping away, and I definitely see a pumpkin latte in my future.

The kind of elitism you mention, Voronwë, is deeply annoying. But it does get turned around against liberals pretty regularly, too: the idea that no liberal can possibly understand what "real Americans" think and believe and worry about, as if none of us have lives or families or mortgages or bills to pay. That's infuriating and counterproductive in its own way.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I agree.

[Frelga]

I like lattes. Drank one just yesterday. Does that make me a northeastern liberal elitist, perish the very thought? Or does the fact that it was a pumpkin latte make it less posh and elite, and therefore more appropriate for a southern conservative christian (surely the pumpkin flavoring lends an appropriate soupçon of hick-ish-ness to the idea of the haughty latte) to drink? I sure would hate to have to give up my lattes...

I think pumpkin flavoring makes it even more sophisticated.

I don't do lattes. That's all right, though, I don't have to, I'm not northeastern.

And I like Turkish coffee, brewed, not dripped. Brewed with a dash of salt and a bit of sugar, and on a very occasional indulgent day honey that creates a thick layer of sweet coffee mud at the bottom of the jezve. A cousin of mine used to drop in a bit of garlic, too.

But really I hardly drink any coffee at all, these days.

As for elitism, it would be silly to say that only liberals are intelligent. Conservatives get bad PR from the vocal anti-science, anti-intellectual groups that are largely drawn to the conservative side of the political spectrum, which at times drown out conservative intellectual voices.

Like who? Well, Judge Walker for one. I was ecstatic over the reasoning and clarity of his ruling.

[nerdanel]

As for liberal elites, I have notice a phenomenom (which I have commented on before) in which some liberals seem to think that only liberals can be intelligent, thinking people. I find that attitude to be both infuriating and counterproductive. And completely untrue.

At the risk of being blunt, those liberals are certainly not elite. At least, they are not well-read enough to have read much of the writings of conservative/libertarian scholars/thinkers.

As for latte-sipping, here's an article which mentions the association of the "liberal elite" and lattes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_elite

L_M - hopefully soon, but probably not before the middle of this coming week; things are crazy around here!